AAP cries foul over office of profit case

New Delhi : Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) national spokesperson Sanjay Singh on Saturday said that the Election Commission (EC) has not followed due process while recommending the disqualification of 20 AAP MLAs from the Delhi Assembly in the office of profit case.

The senior AAP leader termed the EC's recommendations as 'one-sided' and 'partial'.

"The Election Commission recommending the disqualification of its 20 MLAs from the Delhi Assembly is one-sided and they have announced their recommendations without listening to our MLAs," Singh said in a press conference.

He alleged that the EC kept all the norms and rule of laws aside while announcing its recommendations.

He said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government was suppressing democracy in the country and questioned that there is no meaning of constitutional institutions left in the country.

It is for the first time in the history of the country that four Supreme Court judges have had to say that democracy is in danger, he added.

Citing an appointment notice, Singh further explained that parliamentary secretaries were not entitled to any remuneration or perks of any kind from the Delhi Government.

He questioned that when the parliamentary secretary has not been given any perks or salaries, then how does it become an office of profit.

Singh said that the ECI has not conducted a hearing on the matter and is not even ready to explain the recommendations.

However, petitioner Prashant Patel has expressed satisfaction over the ECI's recommendations.

The ECI on Friday recommended to President Ram Nath Kovind that 20 MLAs be disqualified.

In cases where petitions are made seeking the disqualification of lawmakers, the President sends a reference to the ECI which decides on the case by sending back its opinion.

If the president gives his assent, the disqualification of the legislators would pave the way for bye-elections in Delhi.